Buf Orp panting, lethargic, ruffled feathers HELP!!!

[aggiemae]

She is panting, her feathers are ruffled and her wings are out, she's a little droopy and feels hot to touch, She is about 5 months old, has been laying since she was ~17 weeks old. I am not sure if she laid today but she did lay yesterday. She doesn't have any sneezing, or discharge. It's about 88 degrees out, so not blazing hot and none of the other hens seem at all uncomfortable but I bought her inside to cool her off and will post if it helps.

She looks exactly like the hen in these pictures but as often happens here the thread went nowhere.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-wings-out-tail-down-nothing-new-to-report/30

 

[TTracy]

Have you tried any of the ideas from that thread? checking her crop, etc?

 

[aggiemae]

yes i have, it's something else.

Now three of then are doing and two look like they are constantly yawning. They are breathing OK. Eating and drinking normally, but seem like they are sitting around a lot.

 

[TTracy]

yes i have, it's something else.

Now three of then are doing and two look like they are constantly yawning. They are breathing OK. Eating and drinking normally, but seem like they are sitting around a lot.

I saw this thread on another site, your girls symptoms remind me of it.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5038

 

[aggiemae]

Actually I wasn't thinking Gapeworms because the chickens were not extending their neck. Unfortunately two of them are now. I checked the docile one hand her throat is swollen.

I have thiabendazole but it's opened, old (expired) and it doesn't look right. None of the gapeworm medications are available at our local feed stores so I called the vet but it will take two days to get the medication. Hopefully they will be OK till them.

 

[TTracy]

Good luck!

 

[aggiemae]

It was Gap worm but fortunately only one hen has it the rest where just panting because they were hot. The symptoms resolved an hour after the first does of poison. Loraine, the hen that I am treating lays her eggs behind the pool filter so I don't have to stress about which ones are hers.

 

[Noobchick]

Anything over 80 can be hot for them, especially if they're in direct sun. Sounds like heat stress to me. Try giving them cold treats when it's hot out. My birds love watermelon.

As for the ones who look like they're yawning, that's normal. Chickens do that to help move food from their crop down through the rest of the digestive system.

How did your vet diagnose gapeworm? Were they straining to breathe?

 

[aggiemae]

Our Buf Orp pullet was craning her neck and "yawning"/ gasping for breath. She was keeping her eyes closed a lot and her voice was hoarse. The vet checked and her throat was red and swollen so she gave me the meds without doing a fecal check.